
•^ *ft ^ 



Gass 



Book 



£.5:^. 



Author . 



Title. 



Imprint. 



1« — 47372-1 SPO 



"To Seoute Bffioienoy and Eoonomy in Govermuent" 

DETROIT BUREAU OF 
GOVERNMENTAL RESEARCH. Inc. 

100 GRISWOLD STREET 

A HEPORT 
on the 
BWCIJIEERIIKJ AM> JAIIITORljOi SSRVIC3 
of the 
BOARD OP SDUCATIOU OP DSTROIT 
(In OSiirteen Schools) 



prepared by the 

DETROIT BUREAU OP C-OVERKIvIENTAL RESEARCH 

March, 1918. 



A REPORT 

on the 

EUC-IWEERIWa I\F{J) JAWITOPaAL SSEVIC: 

of the 

BOARD OP SBUCATIOF 0? DETROIT 

(In Thirteen Schools) 



Prepared by the 

DETROIT BUREAU OF C-OVERmffiNTAl RESEARCH 

March, 1918, 



l^^ff 



B, »f D. 

MAy H |y20 



TABLE OP COIJTSNTS 



^ I. OUTLIIJE OF THE INTOSTIGATIOa 



s. 



Page 



a. Purpose 1 



iZ b. Limits - S 

s^ c. Character 3 
II. EXISTING CONDITICATS 

a- In Engineariug 3': i vice - 5 

"b. In Janitorial Service 9 

c. Summary of Conditions 10 
III. PROPOSED METHOD OP OPERATION 

a- To Secure Standardized Salaries 12 

y 

b. To Secure Possible Economies 

of OperatiM 15 

IV. DETAILS Of OPEP.ATIOH 

a. Tifae Studies 23 A. 

b. Inspection 23 A. 

c. Adjustm^ents 24 

d. Standardized Requirements 25 
■ V. RESULTS AND COFJARISOIS 

a. Financial Results 26 

b. Findings of 1917 Report 25 
o, Gonclusionis 27 

APPENDIX 

a. Floor Plan of Buildings 

b. General Building Data 



■ I. OUTLINE OP THE INVESTIMTIOU 
A. Purpose of the Investigation 

At the request of the Audit Committee of the 
Board of Education, the Detroit Bureau of Cover loraontal 
Research has undertaken an investigation of the janitorial 
and engineering service in thirteen Detroit schools, for 
the purpose of determining: 

1. Whether or not there is an equitable distribu- 
tion of work for the present cost of service, 
and 

2. Whether or not economies of operation are 
possible vi/hich will permit of a reduction in 
the present cost^ 

This request was based upon a re-oort on the 
Janitorial and Engineering Service which was made in Janu- 
ary^ 1917, and which alleged: 

1. That the ratio of the total of janitors' and 
engineers* salaries to the salaries paid the 
instructional force is high, as evidenced by 
data from other municipalities, - 

Detroit 15^5 

Pittsburgh 14:% 

Chicago 12,55^ 

Cleveland 12.3^ 

St. Louis 11.5^ 

Philadelphia 9«7> 

Boston Q,&fo 

Now York 6,15^ 

2, That a general observation of conditions 
indicated the possibility of reduced costs, - 

a. If the engineering and janitorial salaries 
of all elementary schools now on a high 
school basis weire paid at the same rate as 
other elementary schools, a saving of 
$20,000 per year would be effected. 

b. If the number of employes were reduced 
during the summer months wh&n school is not 
in session, a saving of $15,000 per year 
would be effected. 



)aoq_-tiic. 



m 



- 2 - 

c. If a number of operation economies were 
adopted, - i.e. the elimination of the 
class room as an tmfair unit of compensa- 
tion, the use of women cleaners when 

po ss ible , ■ the larger use of the time of 
engineers, etc,, a saving of ^75,000 per 
year would be effected. 

d. If steps were taken to regulate the use 
of janitors' -supplies and coal, other 
economies would be possibla. 

This report is in the nature of a supplement to 

the oariginal report, and has the dual purpose: 

1, Of indicating in detail possible economios 
which will not disturb the present salary 
schedule. 

2, Of presenting a specific schedule for an 
equitable compensation for janitors and 
engineers, 

B, Limits of the Investigation 
This investigation was started in Novorabcr, 1917, 
with the intention of making a detailed examination of the 
engineering and janitorial service in all buildings, A work 
program was prepared, and progress made up to Decem.ber 1, 
at which time the Audit Committee of the Board of Education 
requested that work be temporai-ily discontinued. The re~ 
quest to resume operations was made soon after, the scope 
of the inquiry being restricted to a small number of repre- 
sentative buildings, to determine whether or not a more 
extensive investigation would ba profitable. The resulting 
recommendations are only illustrative anf. are subject to 
such modifications as a detailed study of the remaining 
buildings may suggest. 



1?- 



tedtc 



0-7 to e:: 



bi\:i 






rT0|,tj*T5 



#■ 



- 3 - 

The following school buildings were selectad 
"by Mr. Delbert Smith, cheif engineer of the Board of 
Education, and Mr, H. S. Morse, engineer of the Detroit 
Bureau of Governmental Research:- Firnane ; Pitcher; 
Rose; Majeske; Barstow; Maybury; Sampson; Crosman; Hely; 
Joyce; Harms; Russell; Bishop - as being representative 
of elementary school buildings, large and small, old and 
new. 

However, only the steam-heated elementary 
schools have been considered. It was believed that the 
high schools and those buildings heated by stoves or 
furnaces presented a somewhat different problem and the 
limited time would not permit of any satisfactory work 
being done except in the one class selected. 

C, Character of the Investl^'ations 
A short inspection tour of the Cliicago and 
Cleveland school systems was made by Messrs. A.M.Mandel 
and Arthur L. Weeks, of the Detroit Bureau of Governmental 
Research, in company v/ith Mr. Delbert Smith, chief 
engineer of the Board of Education, and shortly after the 
return of this party, Messrs. H.S.Morse and A.L.Weeks, 
v/ith Mr, W.S.Malcomson, architect, and Mr, J.R.McColl, 
consulting engineer, made a second inspection of the 
Cleveland system. The information secured has affected 
certain of the recommendations made later in the report. 



- 4 - 
As a first specific step in obtaining 

necessary physical data, smsll floor plans of each 
building v/ere made (see appendix A). These plans 
show the detailed floor area of all buildings in a 
way that the various areas could be classified or 
divided as woiild seem advisable upon closer study. 
Nearly all of this information was obtained from plans 
on file in the office of the Board of Education, which 
was later verified and corrected by an inspection of 
each building. Also a form was prepared on which was 
tabiilated all information that could be of possible 
value in arriving at a fair estimat© of the amount of 
work done by each service, - janitorial a.Td. engineer- 
ing (See Appendix B). 

It may be noted here that if this information 
were compiled for aU buildings, it should prove an 
invaluable record, and will be a necessary record, if 
a system of payment, such as is later suggested, is intro- 
duced. 

After close study, considerable information 
obtained was disregarded as not affecting to an appre- 
ciable extent the questions involved. A study of other 
buildings may show that certain of these data might be 
considered to advantage. 

Each of the thirteen buildings mentioned was 
inspected, sketch plans checked, and all changes, either 
of structure or use, were noted. 



«■ 5 - 

With the one esccQption of the Crosm.in school, 
both angineer and janitor of each huilding v/ere ques- 
tioned to obtain all possible information relating to the 
volume of work and to the personnel of employes a 

In a majority of instances, the principal of the 
building was interviewed, but as their primary interest is 
in educational matters, and as their supervision of the 
engineering and janitorial work is nominal, little infor- 
mation of value was obtained. Each principal wanted the 
building to be clean and v;ell heated, but v/as not perticu-- 
larly concerned as to the methods employed to obtain such 
resxjlts. 



- 6 - 

II. EXISTING COIIDITICNS 

In Detroit th.8 engineering and janitorial v;orlc 
are two distinct functions. The engineer is nominally in 
charge of "both, but in practice the janitor is independent 
of the engineer except for the payment of salaries. All 
salaries are included in one check sent to the engineer, 
who, in turn, disburses the various amotints to the other 
employes. 

The unit of compensation used for payment of both, 
engineers and janitors is the standard class room, except 
in high schools and elementary schools on a high school 
basis , in which both engineers and janitors and all their 
assistants are paid a uniform salary, no attempt being made 
to proportion the total appropriation for each building to 
number of rooms, area, or other physical features. 

The outstanding feature revealed by an inspection 
of buildings was the lack of uniform requirements in both 
the engineering and janitorial service. While there is a 
general effort to follow the regulations of the Board of 
Education manual, each building seems to have an individual 
system of its own, the restats ranging from poor to excellent, 
A. In Engineering Service 

There v/as no rule as to the amount of assistance 
to be given to the janitor by the engineer, this being de- 
pendent on the good nature and attitude of the latter. That 
an engineer of an average -sized building has ample time to 
assist in janitorial -vrork, if he so desires, is clearly shown 
by the fact that in the Harms school, one of the largest 



- V - 

inspected^ the engineer foimd time to do this without 
detriment to his other work. Also in the Sampson school, 
both engineer and janitor cooperated to mutual advantaga. 
As against this, in the Joyce, Hely, Crosman and Bars tow 
schools - all smaller than the Harms - no assistance of 
any kind was given to the janitor by the engineer, altho 
in the Joyce school a fireman is employed for tv^elvw 
months a year to help the engineer o 

As to the work of the engineers in their ovn 
departments, the impression obtained was one of effic:en<:y,. 
and in no case was there complaint on the part of the 
principal. The boiler rooms and machinery appeared v/ell 
eared for. However, no effort was made in this investiga- 
tion to check efficiency in the way of coal consumed for 
results obtained. The records available fail to give any 
accurate information on this point, the delivery records 
taking no account of coal remaining in bunkers. The atti- 
tude of the average engineer towards his job seemed all 
that could be asked. 

It must be recognized that the engineers are in 
a sense technically trained men, and as a majority of them 
have graduated from the marine service, it is natural, 
therefore, that they would still be governed by the ethics 
of the marine engine room, and that an engineer would have 
a distaste for shoveling coal or any cleaning job which 
might reflect on his standing as an engineer » Most of 
the engineers use their common sense in this matter, but 
some few individuals stand on their dignity and have caused 



do a 



noticeable friction. 

An exemplary instance of this attitude, vidtla 
the result, may be cited. It has been found, that monitor 
duty in the boys' toilet room at recess can best be per- 
formed by the engineer whenever the Janitor is busy, or 
frequently as a part of the engineer's routine of work. 
In the Crosman school, however, the janitor, owing to 
other duties, has been unable to perform monitor service, 
and the engineer has refused to e.ssume this duty. The 
possibilities of the absence of this service are obvious. 
This instance simply emphasizes the lac^ of standard 
requiroments, and such happoniags could bo avoided by a 
clear definition of engineering duties. 

The compensation of engineers in elementary 
schools is based on the numbor of standard class rooms 
or their equivalent. But frequently a number of small 
rooms are omitted in the calculations and the engineers 
feel that they are doing a certain amount of gratuitous 
work in consoquencoe As a rule, the ongmoor of an ele- 
mentary school does all of the engineering work without 
assistance. As the heating plants range from 5,000 to 
18,000 square feet of rated capacity, it is evident that 
there is a corresponding variation in the amount of v;ork 
required in the different buildings. 

The engineers in the high schools and those 
schools on a high school basis are paid a fixed salary 
regardless of the nuqiber of rooms in the building, and ate 
assisted by firemen and coal passers, the number depending 



- 9 - 

on the size of plant. The work of these engineers does 
not vary to the extent of those employed in the elemen- 
tary schools and there is less manual labor in that shov- 
elling of coal is to a large extent done hy the firemen. 
There is^ however, an increased responsibility due to 
larger plant and the supervision of boiler room help. 
b. In Janitorial Service 

The standard of vi/ork as jerf armed by janitors 
varies to a great extent in each building. In schools 
with small areas some of the men claimed to b3 over.^/orked, 
while in the larger buildings one man Vtfould frequently 
give better results by intelligent handling of his n'ork, 
and vvithait complaint. 

It is clearly evident t':.at, regardless of re- 
vision of salaries or method of emplojrment, the actual 
requirements of janitorial work in all buildings should 
be standardized, as, otherwise, any equalization of sal- 
aries on the basis of areas or by any other method would 
still result in inequalities. 

At present the general rule is that all clean- 
ing shall be done to the satisfaction of the principal. 
This is proper. However, certain minimum requirements 
as outlined by the school manual should be strictly en- 
forced and left to the discretion of no one. The neces- 
sity of supervision by principals is reco-^rnized, as is 
the fact that janitors, in order to avoid friction, must 



- 10 - • 

accommodate themselves to such conditions. But minimum 
requirements should at all times be enforced, and exces- 
sive demands by exacting or fussy principals should be 
curtailed a 

Dissatisfaction was expressed by nearly every 
janitor questioned as to the metlod of paying on a class 
room basis. They considered, and from their ioo:uTt of 
view, "vifith some justice, that they vi^ere compelled to 
clean a number of small rooms for which they were not paid. 
Whether or not these circumstances were considered vjhen 
the flat rate of $5.32 per room per month was determined 
is not knoivn, but in actual operation the method leaves 
much to be desired. 

In general there was a commendable atteraf)t by 
janitors to give satisfaction, and .ifith more rigid in- 
spection, together with instructions v/here needed, and 
the enforcement of minimum requirements, a marked improve- 
maa t in the present service could be efiected. 

As evidence of the inequitable compensation 
paid both janitors and engineers, the following chart is 
submitted showing estimated volume of work in each build- 
ing and its relation to the existing schedule of salaries. 



SALARY 



AREA 



BUILDIHG 




/tandard 



^35)3o 12,510<^ rirnanc 



702.7^^ 20.876 " Pitcher 



326^70 32.138 "I Ro/e 



1171.20 1 52,830 "iMaje/Ke 



1135.3" 1 3 3,024 ",13ary!-oiu 

1 i 



1054.'" 133 754 'iMaybury 



1293i2o I 37^89 ":/aiDp/on 



113Ci4o:42&99 'iCro/nnan 



15 321" 142.842"; Mel y 



202a32 142.910 "i Joyce 



j U71.20 145.414 •'illgrm/ 



^^:^^;^^V^i^^'^Vj^:^^^^^ 



=^ ^-\v^c<^^^\'^^^X\\^^^^\\■\^ o.\vo\-xx\v\'->A.\-^:- \ ■.■■■;■■ 



3 



4597'2 i 64975 MRuyyell 



4597'2:99l88"!l3i/hop 



j: 




'¥ 



.,e,RY PADIATIO]^ 



BUILDING 



1351" I 4108'^ fi mane 



/tandard 



i^SMi^Bil-^yxNVbys^-^-^^^-^^??^^^^^^^^ 



^■^^^>>.\N.\\\x\N\\\\Vv;\\ \\\V>X\N 



1449.36 I 6 ZGO", Pitcher 



1 ! 

1449.36 j 11620 ; R.o/e 

1— 



160392 i 13470 ; Maf)e/he 



157^^- I 14135 rbsr/iow 



1565.^ I 14308 ; May bury 



1619." I 13660 j /amp/on 



' 60Q°« 



1654.2° 



277392 



1 G03.^'' 



404a«8 



2986' 



18 01 5 i Cro/i-nan 



J5530 , Mcly 



IS 3 70 ; Joyce 



17245 ! Marm/ 



22610 j Ruxreil 



42350 i Bi/hop 



^ 



c-5 

>.oc 






5 ^ 
t.>c — I 



, D 

— X 

oo - 



- 11 - 

c. Summary of Conditions 

This survey of existing conditioiis surrounding 
janitorial and engineering service supports the follov.'ing 
conclusions relating to the firs t purpose of the investi- 
gation: i. e, - whether or not there is an equitable dis- 
tribution of v^orlc for the present cost of service . 

1. There is an absence of standard require- 
ments for both the janitorial and engi- 
neering service. 

£, The present compensation of janitors is 
inequitable in that all floor areas re- 
quiring daily or periodic cleaning should 
be considered. 

3. The present compensation of engineers is 
inequitable in that th6 size of the heat- 
ing and ventilating equipment shoiild be 
considered . 

The follO'Ving conelusions relate to the second 
purpose of the investigation: i. e. whether or not econ- 
omies of operation are possible which will permit of a 
reduction in the present cost . 

4. The existing system requires the employ- 
ment of two executives, a janitor and 
engineer, necessitating the performance 
of a large amount of cleaning by high 
pricet labor. 

5. The present inspection service is insuf- 
ficient to secure the best se^^ice at 
the least cost. 

6. The absence of a practical system of rer 
cording the coal consumption of each build- 
ing is not conducive to economical operation. 



- 12 - 

-3. Iiffi THOB or OPaaATING PROPOSED 

It must be remembered that the purpose of this 
investigation is two-fold in that: 

1, An equitable distribution of v;ork and 
salaries is souQ:ht. 

2, That such economie:. of operation be made 
as are possible v^/ithout detriment to the 
service, 

Thes3 two .questions are coiisidered "to be of euu.l 
importanoe and alx recommendations or suggestions are made 
to that end. 
A« To Secure Standardized Salaries 

The extent of both engineering and janitorial 
work in any building is dependent on the physical features 
of that building. Of the 140 and odd buildings included 
in the school system of Detroit, no two are exactly alike. 
Buildings having the same number of class rooms differ as 
to the floor area and heating and ventilating equipmenta It 
is clearly an impossibility to ^proportion the work of all 
employees so that all v/ill perform the same amount for a 
uniform salary. The only alternative therefore is to es- 
tablish some method of payment whereby the volume of work 
performed shall determine the amount of compensation. 

The present method of using a standard class 
room. as a basic unit for salaries of both engineers and 
janitors is admittedly unfair, and the adoption of some 



other unit proportioned to the real volume of work is a 
necessity if an equitable v/age scale is to be attained. 

The primary function of any heating and venti- 
lating system is the generation and distribution of heat 
units; and the volume of heat units required is measured 
by the unit equivalent of square fe§t of radiation. 

Therefore, it is fair to assume that, other 
things beiing equal, the number of square feet of radiation 
required to heat and ventilate any building is a f air _^:;_£ a '\ 
ure of the size and importance of the plant r&rf orming tl r o 
work i 

The work of engineers seems to be clearly divider! 
into two classes; 1st, raanaal labor, such as shoveling 
coal, ashes, etc., cleaning boilers, and the various re- 
pair j.obs required; 2nd, supervision of plant diiring op- 
eration of same, v/hichjob, v/hile entailing responsibility 
of a high order, gives the engineer considerable time 
which might be devoted to active '.vork. 

It becomes evident, after a close inspection 
of the numerous plants, that the increase of labor re- 
quired to run a large plant, compared to a smaller one, 
is not directly proporticanal to the increase in radiation. 
It is recommended, therefore, that the engineers be grouped 
in classes, whiah classes would be indicated by the cor- 
responding radiation, but in a graduated scale, so that 
by starting at the smallest buildings with a minimum sal- 
ary of llOO.OO per month, the scale would ine^rease by 



: rf:' 






- u - 

groups to a maximum of ':j175.00 per mionth. 

It should be noted that this method woiald pro- 
vide an increased salary for the engineer-exist odian in a 
large building such as Central High, At present, the en- 
gineer in that plant is paid the same as the engineer in 
the Russell school with a rated capacity one-fourth as 
large. 

The janitors v;ork is fundamemtally a cleaning 
job, his ibther duties 'Stieh as v/inding clocks, looting up 
buildings, monitor service in toilets, etc., are relatively' 
so small that they need not be considered. 

The sweeping of floors forms the major part of 
all cleaning v/ork, and it is believed that for all practical 
purposes, the actu p ,l need floor area will g:ive a very close 
measure of the janitorial ivorlc i;i each building. Certain 
features of school buildings are to som.e extent standard- 
ized, in that all rooms, except assembly halls, are usu- 
ally 12 to 13 feet high, and that all class rooms, accord- 
ing to the state code, must have a window glass area equal 
to 20^ of the floor area, wainscots, and other Ornamental 
features are invariably of simple design'v. and all fittings, 
such as wardrobes, lockers, toilet fixtures, etc., are pro- 
portioned to number of pupils. Therefore, it is believed 
that any variation in amoujit of work because of such items 
v/ould be so slight that it m.ay v/ell be disregarded and the 
square fee-^ of used floor area may be assumed as a fair 



X.':.i 



"basis of compansatiai for all cleaning. 

The question of conditicn and material of floors 
was also considerod, but from observation ac 'builSinir^s and 
from answers to questions put to a number of the janiiX)»8; 
those factors did not. mater:" aZ.ly alter the amount of work 
and were theref cr e disregarded:. 

The one positive fact G"btained was tha.t the actual 
work of cleaning VYas in direct proportion to the- frequency 
of use.. 

From observation and from statements ■'\7 Janitor.-, 
we have assumed that a furnisher! floor of any description 
costs at least one half as much more to clean as an open 
area such as corridors, gymnasiums, etc. The schedule of 
cleaning costs at the end of this report is based upon that 
assumption ana -3, .so presupposes the continuous use of all 
floor areas in buildings for their designated purpose, iHiy 
variation from this condition would necessitate a separate 
study of that particular building and such conditions are 
referred to later under the heading ''yariations". 

It is recommended that the square feet of used 
floor area be used as the basis of compensation for all 
;ianitorial vvorkc 
b. To Secure Poss i'ble_ Eco nomjies of O peration 

Economical operation of any system presupposes 
the employment of the fewest possible number of highly 
paid heads or ejtecutives, and the utilizaticm of cheaper 
labor to the larp-est dfrree possiblso 



- 16 - 

The existing system is unecomomical in tliat tv?o 
executives, the engineer and the janitor, are employed in 
each building, necessitating the performance of a large 
amount of cleaning work by high priced labor » 

In a general way, the suggested method of operat- 
ion is similar to that now employed by both Chicago and 
Cleveland, with variations in detail from both. 

The Chicago system is based en the principle of 
making- the engineer- ihe contractors for both engineerina: 
and janitorial work in his own building. The engineer is 
termed the engineer-custodian, and he is paid a fixed an-r 
nual appropriation to cover all engineering and janitorial 
work. This appropriation is proportioned to the total 
floor area of buildin'^'S, and is erpendei by the engineer- 
custodian in any manner that he see fit. This system en- 
ables the engineer to make more than his estimated sal- 
ary provided he does part of the janitorial work himself. 
An essential part of this sySfeem is the incpection service 
whereby the standard of efficiency is maintained, 

Cleveland has installed a system somevi/hat sim- 
ilar to Chicago, but with some modifications that do not 
appear to be desirable. Service in each building is main- 
tained by an engineer-custodian paid on a fixed salary 
basis. He is allovred an appropriation for the building, 
but is not supposed to receive any part of the difference 
between appropriation for cleaning and the actual amount 
spent for this purpose. The only incentive to economical 



- 17 - 

operation is a system of credits whereby those engineers 
vvith the best records are siapposed to be placed in line for 
promotion to better paid positions. This incentive is al- 
most negative. 

Appropriations for both engineering and janitorial 
work are based on number of rooms. 

According to conversations with engineers and 
Board of Education officials, the system in its present 
form leaves much to be desired. 

It is proposed for Detroit thajJ an engineer-cue^ 
todian be appointed for each building, such custodian to 
be a licensed engineer, and that a fixed ap:oropriation be 
made for each building, the actual cleaning costs to be 
estimated according to schedule, and an estimated salary 
allovted to the custodian, based on the size of the heat- 
ing and ventilating equipment. The total appropriation 
to be paid to the custodian in semi-monthly payments, and 
he shall be empowered to employ such assistance as he re- 
quires or considers necessary, thus giving him an incen- 
tive to earn more money by doing -more work himself, or if 
he is content to remain entirely in the boiler room, the 
appropriation for cleaning would provide the necessary 
labor for the janitorial portion of the .vork, with only 
supervision required of the custodian. EXCEPT that in 
the smaller buildings, the custodian would be expected to 
do a part of the cleaning, and allowance for that condi- 
tion has been made in the suggested schedule of salaries. 



- 18 » 

The custodian thus in efT;ect woFjbd TDecorne the contractor 
for the labor of maintenance of his own building. 

This method is nov/ in iDpe-Eation in Chicago, to 
the equal satisfaction of the engineer-custodians and the 
Board of Education. The Cleveland scheme is similar, but 
with t-cjae modifications, v/hEch do not appear to be advan- 
tageous. 

There is no question but that this method would 
work far greater economy in the operation of buildings as 
compares to that now in operation in Detroit; and by es- 
tablishing a scale proportioned to the actual needs of 
each building, the schedule of appropriations can be in- 
creased or decreased at any time by any percentage desired , 
and the salaries remain on an equitable basis. 

Certain restrictions x-,on.ia of necessity have to 
be placed on the engineer-custodian as to the character 
of help employed, the method of payment of salaries, and 
possibly a minimum wage; but such items would be minor de- 
tails and could be readily adjusted by a little careful 
study on the part of the chief engineer. 

Further, there are two direct and distinct ad- 
vantages in the proposed method; first, operative, in that 
there should be only one executive head in each building 
as the work involved, especially the janitorial, is labor 
in its simplest form; second, financial^ in that one of 
the comparatively highly paid positions is eliminated. The 
siibedule of proposed salaries and appropriations clearly 



~ 19 



shows the net saving thereby effected. 

It is suggested that t'-.re be a single appropria 
ation for both engineering and janitorial "ivork, hut that 
each actis-ity he considered separately, in determining such 
grant. 

An analysis of the vvork of the engineer has 
shown that under the present system, his duties have been 
(jonfined to the operation of the heating and ventilating 
equipment, To this would be added by the proposed method, 
supervision of all janitorial work* 

He would be allowed a fixed salary to cover 
the engineering portion of the work -with the privilege of 
increasing this amount by economical operation of all 
Janitorial work;, waich in effect ,vou].c mean that ne would 
have the ofition of performing such work himssslf or hiring 
someone else to do it. 

It has been recommended tla.t all salaries for 
engineering work be proportioned to the rated capacity of 
heating and ventilating equipment as expressed in terms 
of square feet of radiation, therefore, the following 
schedules is suggested. 



- 20 - 

Schedule of Estimated Salaries for Engineer- Custodians 

Per Mo. 
Buildings with 5000 sq. ft. of radiation or less $100 . 
" " 5000 to 10000 SQ. ft. radiation 110, 



" 10000 to 15000 " 

" 15000 to 20000 " 

" 20000 to 25000 " 

" 25000 to 75000 " 

" over 75000 " 



120. 
125. 
135. 
150. 

175. 



It will be noted that the progression is not uni- 
form and the variation is suggested "because the difference 
in character and amount of work hetween a plant of 10,000 
sq. ft. and one of 20,000 sq. ft. does not appear to justi- 
fy a uniform increase. Above this point, hov/ever, the re- 
sponsibility of the engineer increases with the addition 
of other help in boiler room, and should be paid for. 

By the nroposed system of supervision of all jan- 
itorial work by the e-ogineer-custodian, it would be possible 
to employ wonen for practically all of the duties jiow per- 
formed by the janitor, or if women were not available, 
ordinary labor could be used at a much lower rate than is . 
now paid to the janitors. 

The Bmployment of women or other cheap labor 
is therefore an essential part of the proposed raethcd of 
Ope ration. 

Investigation of existing conditions of jani- 
torial work has resulted in the recommendation.- that some 
unit of actual used floor area be used as the basis for 
compensation. 

It was thought desirable that this unit should be 



- 21 - 

the equivalent of v7.ork that could he performed in one 
month for one dollar* 

As this unit would be composed not only of 
sleeping, mopping, and such general duties but also all in- 
cidental requirements it was possible to determine such 
unit only by the process of taking the work of one man, or 
building as a standard and finding the ratio of total clean- 
ing costs to the number of square feet of used floor area. 

The Grossman school was taken as a standard. 
Under the present arrangement, it was found that one man 
could do the entire janitorial .-'ork in a satisfactory man- 
ner withomt assistance of any kind from tha engineer or 
other help. It was, therefore,, assumed that the unit basis 
of cost for clean: ng in this school would be a fair 
Standard, This unit was found to be 350 sq. ff* of floor 
per dollar per month. 

The assumption was also taken that the smaller 
buiidings could not be cleaned quite as eEonomically as 
larger buildings. Therefor 85, in smaller buildings a 
slightly smaller unit ox 325 sq. ft. was used. 

In buildings equal in size to the Grossman 
school and larger, up to those of the Harms school class, 
a fireman would be furnished for three V/inter months, 
whose duties would be to assist in the boiler room, as 
needed, also janitorial .vork. The scale for this cii,ss of 
buildings v;as therefore slightly increased tO 3S5 sq, ft. 



- 22 - 

because of this assistance* 

The third class of buildings, which would be re- 
presented by the Bishop and Russexl schools presents a 
slightly different problem, because of increased require- 
ments. The proposed scale for this cleaning was, therefore, 
droppea to 300 s|. ft. 

In order, however, to utilize the spare time of 
the engineer in the smaller buildings, and also of the ad- 
ditional boiler room help in the larger ones, this scale 
is modified as shown in the schedule. Sucn suggestions 
are arbitrary, but reflect the actual ^70rking conditions 
and are made with the assumption that each man in the small 
buildings as well as large shall do a full day's work; 
and the part time help in the boiler room should prevent 
an overload on 3ither the engineering or janitorial ser- 
vice during the winter months; at which tine both depart- 
ments are v/orking under peak load. 

One of the principal factors for economy as sug- 
gested, is the substitution of female cleaners for high- 
er priced men Janitors, and in arriving at the unit cost 
of cleaning for the Crosman school, which has been^ taken 
as a standard, the salary of two women, plus their recent 
105^ increase, has been used in place of the one male jan- 
itcr now employed. There is hardly any question but that 
two vYomen can do more virork than one man, no matter hov/ ef- 
ficient the latter may be^ And it is therefore, evident 
that this allowance is liberal and the actual increase in 



- 23 - 

the niunber of cleaners employed v/ould result in increased 
efficiency and cleaner buildings. 

A schedule of areas and cleaning costs esti- 
mated on the basis of the foregoing assumptions for the 
13 buildings investigated is as follows: 



■yc^nulE «F A HE A/ 


3uilding 


Radiaffon 
^(ToraO 


Area 

(jMmaUov)) 


Area 


Area 
Cla// 'A' 


Area 

Ci3/r"iy 


1 .Area 
Cla//"C" 


Area 
Clsss ■'!)" 


Area 
aasf'V 


firnane 


4108^ 


123)0 'P 


35I.'5 ^ 


553 O^ 


2473'* 


, ^ 


780* 


672*^ 


Pifcber 


iSZ60 


20876 


15205 


11342 


2203 




JO08 


652 


Ro/e 


11620 


32138 


25662 


12952 


6630 


1208 


1536 


J 33 6 


Naje/ke 


13470 


32/?30 


24571 


16518 


4591 


840 


1472 


1150 


Ban^foiD 


14135 


33024 


24752 


I (£'544 


4434= 


826 


1440 


1506 


Maybury 


14908 


33754 


2 5 712 


16084 


49? 7 


193 7 


1580 


1194 


Jampjxm 


13660 


37689 


'28 5!! 


18355 


6829 


87 


1560 


1680 


Cro/man 


18015 


42699 


33094 


19210 


8522 


2154 


1588 


1620 


iielv 1 


15530 


42842 


32852 


19981 


7529 


1552 


1472 


2348 
1556 


Joyce 


15370 


42910 


32710 


20401 


6844 


2484 


1425 


Harm/ 


17245 


45414 


34 747 


21335 


6083 


3914 


1443 


1972 


Ru//eil 


22610 


64975 


50 672 


28606 


12472 


3153 


4511 


1930 


fti/hop 


4Z3i"0 


99188 


' 783S,^ 


41604 


15 734 


122Z1 


48 72 


3955 


Nofc- 


/umafion oj /Itwr area/ et^ual/ one end one -ha) j time/ QlaJf'K plvs CJa/ze/ B, C.O, and t. 
Cla// A' include/ all room/ a>/ih furmlure /uch a/ Cla// room/, Ojjict, Uiwc, lab/ etc. 

n S> •■ ' Corridor/ and open area/ requirinc clailtj cJea-iing. 

»> C >• •> room and area/ reauirin^j <:>ccayi<jn3l cleanmt^. 

>> J) 1. .. Toile+ and /houjcr room/ 

•> E •• " /[■air/, land inv/, ve/l-ibLiie/ anciVfep/ 
•f Taken from Amroerman 3^ M<^Coli /ur/ey 

Detail/ "f -Building/ 


Buiidi'n3 


'$e.rceT)]s2^ o] kreay j Mi/ceJIaneou/ Jlata 


A 


B 


C 


D 


I 


no. oj 

L.imdouJ/ 


Walk/ 


/ideujf^lk/ 


Ground/ 




Firnane 


587^ 


26,.^' 


% 


8.2?^ 


7A^ 


71 


* 16641* 


*-474^ 


* 5875^ 




Pikher 


74.6 


14.5 




^.6 


4.3 


86 


35-0 


663 


17489 




Ro/e 


50.5 


33.6 


4.7 


6. 


5.2 


149 


640 


3 
7 


384 


25440 




Maje/Ke 


67.2 


18.7 


3-4 


6. 


4.7 


153 


3540 


956 


80469 




5ar/fouj 


^G.8 


17.9 


3.4 


5.8 


6.1 


141 


3299 


\&50 


25255 




Maybury 


G1.5 


19.1 


7-5 


6.1 


4.8 


242 


3J23 


2.03-4- 


i3b'03 




J^ mp/on 


64.4 


23.9 


.3 


5.5 


5.3 


130 


2I0O 


3246 


54748 




Cro/man 


58.1 


25.7 


G.5 


4.8 


4.9 


191 


2»80 


6324- 


93715 




Hely 


6o.g 


22.3 


4.fe 


4.6 


7.1 


204 


4223 • 


3600 


I06987 




Joyce 


62.3 


20.3 


7-6 


44 


48 


222 


3493 


45 72 


4730O 




tfariT)/ 


61.4 


17-5 


1)3 


42 


5-6 


202 


4256 


5352 


73 565 




Ru//ell 


56.4 


246 


6.2 


39 


3 2> 


2S8 


4410 


3756 


740gr 




bi/hop 


53.1 


20,1 


1 5-. 6 


6.2. 


5: 


501 


1368 


7524 


83208 




^vers^e 


61.3 


21.9 


55 


59 


5-4 


1 


* Taken from Maiconuon 5 Hi^'jinbothairi .ruryey 1 



yALAR-Y /cnz^Vil 




txi/fing Schedule 


Propo/ed K/cheduie 


building 


fn^ineer 


Janitor 


Total 


Cu/todian 


Tire ID en 


Cleaner/ 


Ckar)Grj 


Total 




annu< 


3I 


annual 


annual 


annual 


anvva] 


annual 


annual 


annual 


Firnane 


*1352 


73 


*351 


22 


♦iroTW 


♦ laooToy 


* 


* 378 e^ 


t 


* 1578 9Q 


Pitcher 


J443 


36 


702 


TO 


2152 joir 


1320yo 




642 30 




1362^ 


Ro/e 


1449 


34 


926IZ2 


2374 j06 


1440^ 




382 20 




242 2 ?£ 


Maje/ke 


uoz 


52 


1171 20 


27 75 'Ji 


1440102. 




1010 20 




2450££ 


barAovj 


iiS76> 


52. 


n33?£ 


2710 


sz 


144 Ouo 




iQl&io 




245 6 i£ 


Maybury 


I5<;b- 


3? 


1054'IO 


2619 


Si 


1440,^ 




1038 60 




2478 i£ 


/gmp/on 


1615 


28 


1253122. 


2512 rts 


144000 




11 SO 00 




2600 2° 


Cnmmn 


1600 


OS 


11301° 


2730 


11. 

30 


1500;o£. 


■^ 263.52 


11 38 ,i£ 




290211 
2906«L 


ttely 


{654 


20 


1532 


F 


318<^ 


1500 <^ 


4 263]»2 


1142 '50. 




Joyce 


2773 


92. 


2020 


32 


4734 ,^ 


1500 <i^ 


t 263i52 


1 22 6 2£ 




2989 €2. 


Harm/ 


1603 


9Z 


1171 


20 


177 S 11. 


1500 »fi 


t 263£2 


1237C2 




30fel 21 


Ru//cll 


4040 i£ 


4557 


11 


8638 0£ 


1620 i2£ 


10541'£8- 


21322:0 


■^ Z92»i 


509912 


5 {/hop 


2986 


68 


45-97 


11 


7583 iSS 


lg00;OO 


1054, £1 


33063O 


'^ 405 ?± 


G57032 


Total #4^953.^ 


Total t 39.476.4;^ 


tlndicatc/ one man employed Jor fbrec u>inier roonth/ h'et /avm^^ 
'''Indicate/ cleaner/ employed aurjng /ummer vdccition penod $ 7491. i?." 


Cu/fodi^n/ 


BuiJdin^/ ujith lolaJ radiation 0/5000 /c^. /t". or jeyy *looo<' per mo. . 




^ « -•. - » - 5001 to lOOOO /cj. jt. 11 0«' >' '• 


" 10001 " 15000 " •' ]20<« " •' 


« »• •' " " 15001 ^ 20000 " " 1 25"" •> •• 


.. 20001 " 30000 » " 13 5'"' " ■• 


M >. n .. "30001 '• 50000 " " 150"" " " 


'• " •• »« •• over 50000 jq. /t". 17 5"' •• 


firemen and coal-pa//er/ to be employed as required but all 
yuch help lo a//iyt Luith Janiforial ujork ojhen po/zibie 


Cleancn/ 


An allowance 0/ *I.Qg per mont-h Jor each 325 J'ci- jt of total 




floor 3rea in all buildino/ up fo 4oooo yc^. Jt 


An alloLuance of ^ \oo per mon^h 


Jor eacli 375 yq. J^t of total 


jloor area in buildins,v ujith ar 


ea of 4<)c)oo to 50000 yq^. ff. 


An dllowance of #l.oo per month for each 3oq y(^. ft. of tofa/ 


/loorareg in building/ ujjtb area of over i'oooo ycj, ft. 




In e/^imahn^ Jloor srea^. each ^q.. /t. 0/ area in/urjii/hed room i/ 
a//umed to ecjual one and one half jc. ff. of total area 



23-A 

IV. DETAILS OP OPERATIO N 

a. Time Studies 

Before the suggested or any other schedule of 
salaries could be applied, complote and detailed time 
studies of typical buildings of all groups or classes 
should be made. It has not been possible for the Bureau 
of Research to do this, because of the limited time tafeen 
in the presentation of this report; but any final report 
or operative schedule would be valueless without such 
studies, the result of which could be applied to the sug- 
gested schedule and such corrections made as v/ould seem 
advisable. 

We knovj from actual measurement the exact physi- 
cal data of the buildings inspected. We cannot know, with- 
out such studies, the exact cost of cleahing any one 
or group of buildings. Such cost as assumed in the sched- 
ules is, therefore, only suggestive. 

b. Inspection. 

Mr. Smith, the Chief Engineer, has already in- 
stalled a system of inspection by the appointment of two 
men, who are now engaged in this work. A continuation and 



:XC!£; 



- 24 - 

extensim of this inspection-service is absolutely essen- 
tial to the satisfactory operation of the proposed method 
of maintenance. We would suggest uhat the number of in- 
spectors be increased to three, or v/hatever nujnbsr v;ould 
be required to give each building a thorough inspect! aac 
at leaso every two weeks. A fractional part of the de- 
crease in operating costs entailed by the adoption of the 
general method of operation suggested would pay for this 
very important department. 

It is also recommmended that a system of semi- 
monthly reports from the principal of each school be 
adopted. Such reports would prove a valuable check on 
the official inspectors and at the same time give to each 
principal the opportunity to call attention to any details 
which Jifi th.ink.s is neglected. Also, the principal being " 
the executive head of the building, it seem.s to be logical 
that his or her peJrsonal ideas as to the work in question 
should be considered. 
c. Adjustment s 

There will undoubtedly be minor adjustments re- 
quired in the application of any schedule to the individ- 
ual needs of a number of buildings. These should be in- 
vestigated by the chief engineer or his inspection: depart- 
ment and corrected in such manner as each individual case 
vi/ould require a But the number of such buildings would be 
relatively small, and it would seem that such variations 



couid easily be adjusted- 
High school buildings and those heated vv'ith stoves 
or furnaces have not been considered in the foregoing re- 
port, except as to engineer-custodians* salaries in high 
schools. The cleaning costs and the salary of custodian 
who would attend the stoves or furnaces require separate 
investigation. 

d« Standardized Requirements 

One essential factor of equalization of ./ork is 
that the duties and requirements of all engineering and 
janitorial empl^oyees be standardized and that all regulat- 
ions to that end be enforced. This applies particularly 
to the janitorial work. Gonditiais are fairly unffoinm 
■{jhruout the entire oity, and there is no reason why such 
a standard could not be maintained* If the existing rules 
and regulations are too exacting they should be modified, 
but in any case some standard should be adopted and enforced, 
This conditiCM automatically calls for an efficient in- 
spection as recommended* 



f 



- 25 



5. RESULTS AJ^D GOMPARISOIS 

a» Financial Results 

The present appropriation for th3 thirteen schools 
inspected, as given in the Board of Educaticn manual, to- 
gether with the addition of the recent ICfjo increase in 
salaries, would give a total maintenance labor cost for 
these buildings of $46,958,02, The proposed appropriation 
as per schedule is $39,476,40. Result - a net saving in 
thirteen buildings of $7,481.62. If the sane conditions 
were found to exist, in the same puoportion, in the re- 
maining 130 odd buildings, the net saving for the entire 
system would be approximately $75,000,00 Considering that 
in the schools which have been examined, the greatest 
saving v/as effected in those buildings on a high school 
basis, and that none of the high schools proper, with their 
large payrolls, were included, it is believed that this 
proportionate saving is far too low and that the actual 
figure would be much greater. 

b. Findings of 1917 Report 

Certain Specific statements as to operating 
costs were made in the 1917 report, and have already been 
mentioned in the introduction to this report. These state- 
ments are herewith repeated and a comparison made with 
findings of the recent investigation. 



^) 



- 27 - 



a. If the engineering and janitorial salaries 
of all elementary schools, nov; on a high 
school basis, wer. paid at the same rate 
as other elementary schools, a saving of 
|S0,000 per annum v^ould be effected. 

h. If the number of employees v/ere reduced 
during the summer months T;hen school is 
not in session, a saving of approximately 
$15,000 v;ould be effected. 

c. If a number of operation economies were 
adopted, - i. e. the eliminatiOB of the 
class room as an unfair unit of compen- 
sation,, the use of women cleaners when 
possible, the larger use of the time of 
engin-^ers, etc., a saving of IjpVS.OOO per 
year would be effected. 

d. If steps were taken to regulate the use 
of janitors supplies and coal other econ- 
omies would be possible. 



c. Conclusions 

Considering the prex'ious statements, item by 
item, in the light of facts gathered from the inspection 
of the thirteen buildings before mentioned, and from a 
short survey of conditions in Ghicrago and Cleveland schools, 
the following conclusions are reached. 

1. That of the eleven schoolsnow n a high 
school basis, three v/ere included in this 
survey, and in these three schools the es- 
timated saving is s'i'6,356.80, if the same 
proportion held ^good in remaining eight 
buildings, the total saving in this class 
alone would be $23,308.23. 

2. That the preliminary estimate of a possible 
saving of 075,000 is conservative, and a 
feasible method of effecting such a saving 
is given in this report. 



- 28 - 



3. That the detailed analysis of the build- 
ings inspected as shown by sahedule of 
same shows in the cxearest manner possible 
that the class rooms as a linit of measure- 
ment of salaries is unfair, and that the 
method suggested, or one similar is intent, 
should be adopted,: 

4. No detailed investigation was made as to 
reduction of employees during summer months. 
It is beliex'-ed, hov. ,ver, that a careful 
study would show that this suggestion is 
correct. 

5. The substitution of wanen cleaners for high 
paid men janitors is an essential factor 

in any method which has for its object 
greater economy in ope rati ai. This in fact 
is the basis of both the Chicago and Cleve- 
land system, and its installation by Detroit 
would be but the adoption of a tried and 
proven system. 



In conclusion it should be noted that in arriv- 
ing at the results given, no attem.pt was made to work to 
any figure. The method adopted for estimating cleaning 
eosts was based on an assumed quantity for cleaning one 
building and the costs of other buildings v/ere determined 
pro rata. That the result obtained is so close to the 
findings of the previous report is double evidence of 
the economies possible. 



- APPENDIX A - 



The complete "Appendix 1" as included in 
original copies consists of floor plans of each, of the 
thirteen buildings surveyed. The follov/ing plans of 
the Crosman School are typical^ and show the f oim in 
which this information was presented. 



t 



c 



cko/mah' /aCDL 







nun 


AREi^V 


: A ■ . 


//^^- / 


:i 


75 + 


■ c. 


/f ^t 


1>. -. 


/■f^ '^ ^ / 


t 


/Jf^ 


r 


7fi- 


G 


\ ZXo 


3i 
1 


-■— r~~ 


J 




K . 


4<Jf 


. / i; 


54 


.J^ 


, xo'^- '. 



]>t/c union 

Joy/ Jlay room 
■ .. Tmict - 

J)0!-y3€xHc jcieiiCe 
Girl/ 7Qilci rooDi 

Boiler 

Fan 3-cx>j"n . 
Too! .. 

: Corridor/ 



yjjDCiQu:^.? 



3-1:: X 4' 



(. ^ 



ChosHKH Jcnmi 





yiiJi ru5)iL ?>LA]\ 




VfcohD FL«>R Hah 



c 3^o Ojf Jce 



d-ja-r Cor nd 01-/ 

3,2 Rejr f-ucj^l 



d4- -ujin^doTjj, 






f 



* APPENDIX B - 

The complete "Appendix B" as included in 
original copies consists of forms for the tabulation 
of physical data for each of the thirteen buildings 
surveyed. 

The following forms, giving data compiled 
for the Grosman school, are typical and show the man- 
ner in which this information was presented. 



% 



I 



Ti :r- 



c\ 



to 
W |cr> 
-3 w 



« 



t^ 



o 



o*. 



3 






3 



S 















O 



p- 



o 






O 
H 



P- 



c+ 



C 03 



■■-4 



rf- H 



EB 



0) 



Cb p 

no 

'< P' 

.>. O 






tej 



•< 



s. 

o 



'<5 



t-4 






1 



